The Power of Prayer
In the Bible study I am currently doing “Breaking Free” by Beth Moore she talks about the importance of prayer. How the enemy knows the power of prayer and is silenced when we pray powerfully in faith. Wow, is that the truth.
A day before International Women’s Day, all 12 of us girls from my team were on our hands and knees interceding for the girls at the Dunamis foundation, silencing the enemy. We were praying for the Lord to free their hearts from the years of abuse, to remove their minds from the rooms they were held captive in by their abuser’s. We prayed for the Lord to bring back their youthful spirit, and purify their souls from the pain. Crying out to the Lord to show himself in their lives, we asked the Lord to put a wall of protection around their home here. Little did we know that my parents and their entire Bible study were interceding for them at that very moment as well.
Celebrating Women!
International Women’s Day was the most beautiful day. Another foundation (similar to Dunamis but not Christ centered) came to Dunamis to celebrate with us. Over 30 girls and 15 babies filled the room. The Dunamis girls performed the story of Esther in a play. I cannot disclose names but one of the girls who has been at Dunamis the longest (over a year) got up and bravely shared her testimony. It brought me to tears.
We then went outside and played yard games, while the other half of my team watched their babies. They were able to be children! To play games and laugh. The girls ended in the house, each of them getting a rose. A sweet gift from the Lord.
Washing Feet
That night (after the other group of girls left) my 6 teammates and I went into the girls’ house to wash their feet. Walking into this night we prayed that we would be the vessels of the Holy Spirit, that it wouldn’t be us speaking or praying, but that Jesus would speak through us. We shared John 13 about how the Lord wants to serve us and wash even the dirtiest part of us, our feet. Jesus performed for the disciples the lowliest of services in an act of utter humility and love for them. Washing of feet symbolizes cleansing of the spirit.
The Holy Spirit consumed the room. The girls were in tears because of the overwhelming sense of the Spirit. The Lord gave me specific prayers to pray for each and every one of the girls. He made me His vessel, prayers in Spanish that I didn’t even know I knew how to say in Spanish. As I was praying in Spanish my teammates would pray in English. Emotional chains were being broken, and satan had no place in their house that night or ever.
After this was going on for over an hour, the littlest girl came up to me and asked if she could wash my feet. The girls came around us and washed our feet. This love. This love that is so pure, so raw. This love has no languages, the Holy Spirit has no languages. I envisioned the Lord looking down on His daughters in tears seeing us love each other and worship Him in different languages.
To watch one of the girls who has never spoken a word since arriving smile and laugh, make eye contact and answer yes or no questions is the biggest praise. To watch the girls who didn’t know the Lord before arriving have a fire for Him in their spirit- to want to know more of Him everyday is the biggest praise. To visibly see changes in their confidence and joy since arriving is the biggest praise.
Psalm 23:3-4
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands
I wrote this passage on International Women’s Day-
To the woman who have endured sexual, physical, and mental abuse and still have the strength to wake up every morning and face the world.
To the girls not yet old enough to read, yet have seen and experienced unimaginable horrors afflicted upon their body, mind and spirit.
To the woman who have endured being demeaned, discriminated against, looked down upon and told they’re less than by a man.
To the girls who are still children themselves bearing their own children, fighting for their children, protecting their children when they can barely protect themselves.
I hear you, I see you, I fight for you. Today we celebrate you. It is an honor to be your sister. Your strength inspires me. You are beautiful, capable, and worthy. You are warriors, brave on the battlefield. You love fiercely and are fiercely loved.
Women like you empower and lead younger generations.
Women like you are the epitome of resilience and strength.
Women like you drown oceans.
